Excavating-machine and the like.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

G. W. JACKSON.

EXGAVATING MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3.1908.

Cleo 6 0% WI of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

UNITED STATES Parana: OFFICE.

GEORGE w. JACKSON, or CHIOAG.O,ILLINO1S.

EXCAVATING-MACHINE AND THE LIKE.

To allwhom it may concern: Be it-known that I, GEORGE W. JAoxsoN, acitizenof the United States, and a resident have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Machines and the Like; and I do hereby, declare-that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

Thisfinventlon relates to improvements in machines for excavating or otherwise handling earth, ore, coal or other like material,

' fof that kind embracing a vertically and hori- -zontallyfswinging arm which carries at one send an operatin device, as a cutting or scoop device, an at or near its other end a motor for operating the cutting or scoop device, and the invention relates more specifically to an improved driving or power transmitting connection between the motor and nAmong-ftheobjects of the invention is to simplify ;the.construction and operation of the driying'or power transmitting connection between said motor and the cutting or scoop device in such manner as to reduce its cost and the maintenance thereof.

', 1 As shown in the drawings:-Figure 1 is a side elevation of an excavating machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the swinging, scoop or cutter caring arm thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2..

. M improvements are herein shown as applie toan excavating machine embodying thegeneral features of construction of the machine illustrated in my prior application for U. S. Letters Patent Serial No. 405,419, filed December 6th, 1907.

The machine herein illustrated comprises a supporting frame 10, consisting, as herein shown, of a wheeled truck, an arm 11 supported near its rear end on said truck and capable of swinging both horizontally and vertically, a rotary cutting device 12 carried by the forward end of said arm, and a motor 13, of any suitable character, carried by'said .arm, said motor being supported on a bracket 14 which is fixed to the rear end of the arm.

The said swinging arm comprises two vertical side plateslfi, 16 which are stiflened at their upper and lower margins by flanged bars and are connected by transverse plates Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 3, 1908. Serial No. 424,873.

Patented June so, 1908.

17 and diagonal brace bars 18. The swinging arm is supported near its rear endon a horizontal shaft 20 which extends transversely through the side members thereof and beyond the same, and has bearing at its ends in pillow blocks 21 rising from a turn table frame, designated as a whole by 22, which is supporte on said wheeled truck 10. Said turn table frame comprises, as herein shown, vertical side members 23, 23, to the u per sides of which are attached the pillow b ocks 21, and a horizontal late 24 to which said side members are attac led and on which they are supported.- Said horizontal plate 24 constitutes theu per member of a turn table. It is provide with a central, vertical bearing stud 25 which is rotatively mounted in a short vertical sleeve 26 carried by the lower, stationary member 27 of the turn table. Said lower, stationary member of the turn table is mounted on I-beams 28, 28 extending transversely across and supported on the truck 10.

- The stud 25 constitutes the vertical pivot about which the arm 11 swings horizontally, while the shaft 20 constitutes the horizontal pivot about which said arm swin s vertically. Said arm is swung vertical y about its pivot 20 through the medium of a geared segment 30 fixed to the shaft 20 and meshing with a rotative worm 31 carried by a shaft 32 which is mounted in standards 33 supported on the rotative member 24 of the turn table. The said arm 11 is swung horizontally about its pivot 25 through the medium of a curved rac 34, formed on the upper member of the turn table, which meshes with a pinion 35 carried by a rotative shaft 36 mounted instandards 37 rising from the truck 10. Said shaft 36 is operated through the medium of a hand wheel 38 which is geared to the shaft. The said rotative cutting device is mounted on a shaft 40 which in turn? is rotativcly mounted in bearings 41, 41 carried by the free end of the arm 11. vided at one end with a gear wheel 42, herein shown as comprising a beveled gear-wheel, through the medium of which poweris applied to the shaft 40 to rotate said cutting device. The said cutting device is shown as made like the cutting device shown in my rior application 'hereinbefore referred to. 11y improvements may, however, be applied to machines of the general construction shown'for otherwise handling dirt or loose material, such, for instance, as shown in an- Said shaft is proother application heretofore filed by me on thefith day of December, 1907 Serial No. 405,418. In the machine shown'in said alplication, the operating device carried by t e ee end of said arm comprises a rotary 'scoo device. In the construction shown in bot of said-prior applications, and also in the present application, the motor is mounted centrally etween the sides of the swmgmg arm so as to distribute its Weight uniformly to the vertical and horizontal pivots of the. swinging arm. The shaft of the motor in each instance is located out of line with the gear wheel on the transverse shaft of the o crating device carried by the free end of t e arm; In the two prior constructions referred to, the driving or power transmitting connections embrace two parallel shafts connected with each other through the medium of a transverse shaft geared to the parallel shafts, one of the latter shafts being connected with the motor shaft and the other being geared to the gear wheel of the transverse shaft which carries the operating device.

In accordance with the present invention,

the motor shaft 45 is connected directly with i the operating device gear wheel 42 through the medium of a flexible shaft 46 .of any suitable construction, thus avoiding the employment of intermediate transverse connecting gearing and bearings therefor and greatly simplifying the construction. The said flexi' ble shaft 46 is connected at its rear end with the'motor shaft through the medium of a flexible joint 47 of any suitable character. The forward end of the shaft embraces a short rigid section 48 which has bearing in a bracket 50 carried by the free end of said arm. Said short rigid section of the flexible shaft is provided at its forward end with a beveled pinion 51 which meshes with the gear wheel 42 of the transverse shaft of the cuttin or other operating device 12 and throug which the driving power is transmitted to said operating device. The said flexible shaft is supported between its ends by means of arms 55 which rise from one of the side members of the swinging arm 11 and are provided at their up er ends with eyes 56 through which the flexible shaft loosely ex-' tends. The said 'su porting arm 55 nearest to the motor extend; inwardl towards the center of the swinging arm whi e those nearer to the gear wheel 42 are more nearly vertical, thus gradually diverting the forward end of the flexibleshaft towards the plane of the gear wheel 42, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It

.is thus made manifest that the motor is ponnected directly, through said flexible shaft 46-, with the gear wheel 42 of the operating device by the employment of but a single hearing, to-wit, the-bearing 50 for-the short rigid shaft section 48; the said arm 55, when employed, constituting merely supports for the flexible shaft "to prevent it from sagging greatly simplified and the cost of its applicgtion and maintenance greatly reducec.

will'be furthermore observed that such direct'connection of the motor with the gear wheel of the operating device 12 is'efi'ected' without shifting the motor from it's transversely central position on the arm 11, thus enabling the weight of the motor to be transmitted uniformly to the vertical and horizontal pivots of the swinging arm 11 and avoiding side pressure on 'said pivots.

I claim as my invention 1. Ainachine of the character set forth comprising a sup orting frame, a horizon tally and vertical y swinging arm mounted thereon, an. operating device carried by the free end of said arm, -a gear wheel atone side of said arm through which power to operate said device is transmitted, a motor carried by said arm and located out of line with said gear wheel, and a flexible shaft connected with the motor shaft and provided with a pinion which meshes with said gear wheel.

2. A machine of the character set forth comprising a sup orting frame, a horizon tally' and vertical y swingmg arm mounted thereon, an operating device carried by the free end of said arm, a gear wheel at one side of said arm through which power to operate said device is transmitted, a motor carried by said arm and located out of line wlth' said gear wheel, a flexible shaft connected. with the motor shaft and provided with a pinion which meshes with s aid gear wheel, and means carried by and separated longitudinally of said arm for supporting'said flexible shaft along its length.

3. A machine of the character set forth comprising a sup orting frame, a horizontally and vertical y swinging arm mounted thereon, a rotative operating device, a transverse shaft rotatively mounted in-bearings carried by said arm to which said operating device is fixed, a gear wheel fixed to said shaft at the side of said arm, a motor carried by said arm and located out of line with said gear wheel, and a flexible shaft connected with the, motor shaft and provided with a pinion which meshes with said gear wheel.

.4. A maohineof the character set forth comprising a sup orting frame, a horizontally and vertical y swinging arm mounted thereon, an operating device carried by the free end of said arm, a gear wheel at one side of said arm through which power to operate said device is transmitted, a motor carried by said arm on the side of its horizontal pivot remote from said 0 'erating device and located out of line with said gear wheel, and a flexible shaft connected with the motor'shaft and provided with a pinion which meshes with-said gear wheel- 5. A machine of the character set forth comprising a swinging arm, a supporting In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as frame on which said arm is mounted and promy invention I aflix my signature 1n the vided with a vertical and a horizontal pivot presence of witnesses, this 30th day of March about which said arm swin s, an operatin A. D. 1908.

'5 device'carried by the free en of said arm an provided with a shaft having a gear wheel GEORGE W; JACKSON ocated at one side of said arm, a motor carried by-the arm centrally of its horizontal Witnesses:

' pivot, and a flexible shaft connected with the J. C. MOORE,

0 motor shaft and provided with a pinion E. S. JACKSON,

which meshes with said gear wheel. I CHAs. E. LUND. 

